By Mark Scheer
Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS — The Niagara Falls Housing Authority will spend $94,000 on a garbage collection system upgrade at Packard Court and Jordan Gardens.
Members of the authority’s Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to a contract for the work with Valeri Concrete and Construction, the lowest of three bids received for the job.
The project will result in trash collection containers being moved closer to each of the 266 units at Packard Court and Jordan Gardens. By locating the trash containers closer to residents’ entrances, officials are hoping they will be able to reduce the amount of loose trash on and around the grounds at both sites. Housing authority officials maintain the project will improve the appearance of both sites and help keep rodents at bay.
The contract with Valeri calls for the company to excavate areas adjacent to rear doors at each of the 266 units at both sites and install stone bases and concrete slabs. In addition, the company is being asked to replace 432 clothes posts and 266 garbage posts, backfill all the holes and seed the area. Authority officials said removal of the posts was needed because they are in poor condition, pose a maintenance concern and also hamper trimming the lawn. Authority officials maintain the work will create a safer, more aesthetically pleasing environment and help to reduce the cost of the authority’s lawn maintenance contract. Valeri also will be expected to replace 3,500 square feet of sidewalk in “areas of disrepair.”
The board approved the contract by a 5-1 vote. Commissioner Antonio Restaino voted against the measure. Before voting, Restaino questioned the terms of Valeri’s bid, noting that $94,000 was significantly lower than the other two bids up for consideration. Both of those bids exceeded $200,000.
Deputy Executive Director Patricia Barone indicated HUD guidelines were applied in reviewing the company’s bid. She also said staff rechecked the numbers and determined the bid was accurate and included all work as specified in the documents. She noted the authority’s in-house estimate for the work was $125,000 and that Valeri has worked on other authority projects in the past with success.
“They guaranteed us that they would be able to do it for this particular amount,” housing authority Deputy Executive Director Patricia Barone said.
Funds for the project are available through a grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Barone indicated the authority had a deadline for using the funds or they would be returned.
